Island



E. J. SCOTT.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE FOR SWAGING MACH|NES. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2, I914- RENEWED DEC. 6| 1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1 E. J. SCOTT.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE FOR SWAGING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2. 1914. RENEWED DEC-6,1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2 E. J. SCOTT.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE FOR SWAGING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0150.2,1914. RENEWED DEC. 6.1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

E. .I. SCOTT.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE FOR SWAGING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2, 1914. RENEWED DEC. 6,1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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EPHRIAM J. SCOTT, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR'TO DEXTER B. POTTER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE FOR SWAGING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 2, 1914, Serial No. 875,173. Renewed December 6, 1915. Serial No. 65,369.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ErnniaM J. Soon, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Automatic Feeding Devices for Swaging-ll'lachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for feeding blanks the same to be used in connection with a swaging machine or other device, and the'invention has for its object to provide means for engaging a blank and passing it into position to be operated upon, then to withdraw and deposit the blank, repeating the operations successively and automatically.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for preventing the advance movement of the blank while the sup porting and positioning member is moving a predetermined distance into engagement therewith.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means for locking the supporting member while the blank is being operated upon.

The invention furtherconsists in providing means movable independent of said supporting member for finally positioning the blank to receive its finishing operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide means adapted to compensate for irregularities in the length of the blanks while placing the same in operating position.

W ith these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved feed ing mechanism showing the swaging machine partly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the machine showing the same in position to be operated in connection with a swaging machine. Fig. 4 is an end view with a portion of the feeding mechanism removed, the hopper in section and the transferring member in position beneath the hopper to receive the blank therefrom. showing the mechanism ing the blank to receive the finishingoperation. Fig. (3 is a perspective View showing the locking plate for lockin the mandrel in operative position. Fig. is a detail illustrating the mandrel operating mechanism. Fig. 8- is a perspective view showing the two swaging blocks acting upon the end of the tube to reduce it. Fig. 9 shows one of the pair of blocks removed illustrating the shape of their inner surface. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the blank to be fed and operated upon which in the present instance is a short tube. Fig. 11 shows the blank having been acted upon by the swaging device to reduce its end to conical form.

My feeding machine for blanks is herein illustrated as being connected to and adapted to be operated in connection with a swaging machine, the latter being shown in Fig. 1 partially in section and in which 15 is the base and 16 and 17 are the usual swaging blocks, which are caused to reciprocate in the rapidly rotating head 18.

The drawings show my feeding machine as being particularly arranged for the feeding of blanks which are in the form of short tubes 19 such as illustrated in Fig. 10 which tubes are required to have one end drawn down by a swaging operation into conical form as illustrated at 20 in Fig. 11. In the construction of mechanism for carrying out this purpose I have provided a frame 21 having the base portion 22 bolted on to the base 15 of the swaging machine. This frame serves as a bearing for the inner end 23 of the forwardly extending rock shaft 24, said shaft being provided with a second outer bearing 25 supported from the frame Fig. 5 is a detail for finally positionby the bracket 26. A long slender mandrel 27 is supported from this rock shaft 24 by laterally extending arms 28 and 29 whereby this mandrel may be moved longitudinally and at the same time raised or lowered to change its elevation for the purpose hereinafter described. Collars 30 and 31 prevent an endwise movement of said rock shaft. In order to move this mandrel longitudinally I have provided a long lever 34 being slotted at 36 at its lower end through which it is pivoted by the pin 37 in the bracket 38 and its upper end being forked at 35 having Patented Aug. 1, 1916. y

pins 93 and 96 engaging the collar 97. This lever is arranged to oscillate forward and back by means of the rotatable crank 32 mounted on the main shaft 33, see Fig. 7.

As it is found advisable to provide a dwell both on the inner and outer strokes of the mandrel I hate provided a cam member 39 having walls 40 and 41 spaced apart to be engaged by the crank pin 42 at the proper intervals during its revolution to produce the proper timing of the longitudinal movements of this mandrel. As this mandrel advances it enters the tube which it tightly fits the latter being temporarily held by the plate 86 hereinafter described and CtLII'lBS the same forward into the swager to receive its-roughing operation. In order to place this tube in position to receive its final or finishing operation I have found it necessary to rovide means adapted to be operated in ependent of the mandrel for the purpose of moving the tube slowly inward to the finishing position. To accomplish this I have mounted a wide collar 52 slidably on the mandrel 27 and have positioned the forked ends 53 of the arm 54 back of said collar, the lower end of said arm being secured to the rock shaft 51 to which shaft is also connected the rearwardly extending arm which is adapted to be positioned to engage the cam portion 55 adjustably mounted in the arm 56 which is rotated by the shaft 33. In order that this feeding collar may be moved quickly from inoperative" to operative position I have provided a second or auxiliary lever 57 pivoted at 58 one end being provided with.a roll 59 entering the space 60 between the blocks 61 and 62 on the lever arm 50, the opposite end 63 of this lever 57 extending into the path of movement of the cam 64 and by which this collar and its operating arms are moved to and normally retained in their inoperative position by the engagement of the end 63 with-the rise 65, see Fig. 1. When it is time for the collar 52 to move forward the end63 of the arm 57 drops down into the cut away space 67 of the cam plate permitting the coil spring 68 on the lever 46 to act upon the arm 50 and move the collar into engagement with the outer end of the blank or tube 19 and at the same time raising the arm 50 up into position to be engaged by the rotating cam portion 55. The cam 55 is pivoted at 59 to the arm 56 at one end and its opposite or outer end is arranged to rest upon the flexible member 56, which member is adapted to be adjusted endwise by the nut and screw 70 to regulate the degree of eccentricity of this arm, see Fig. 1, the whole cam being adjustably mounted on the arm 71 in the groove 72 of the arm 56.

In practice it is found that the pointed end of the tube must rest firmly against a stop 94 in the swager and as these tubes vary somewhat in length it is found to be absolutely necessary to provide some means of compensating for this difference, which I have accomplished by providing the yieldable member 56 above described at the end of the cam arm 55.

It is found in the operation of pointing a tube or blank to be necessary to lock the mandrel while the tube is being pointed on the tapered end portion of the mandrel. To accomplish this I have provided a large button head 43 or collar on the mandrel and a locking plate 44 having a slot 45 therein and vertically slidable in ways 92 and I have provided a lever 46 having one end pivoted at 47 its middle portion connected at 48 to this locking plate 44 and its outer end 49 engaged by the above described arm 50 on the rock shaft 51, whereby when this lever 50 is drawn downward by the action of lever 57 engaging the rise 65 on the cam plate 64 it draws back the arm 54 and releases the collar 52. This lock plate 44 is also then withdrawn downward permitting the button 43 to pass therethrough with the mandrel on its way to the outer end of its stroke. When-the mandrel has again been moved forward into operating position the release of the lever 57 by the cam permits the lever 50 to rise under action of spring 68 which also raises the plate 44 back of the button head 43 to firmly lock the mandrel in operative position and prevent it from being withdrawn or forced out by the swaging action upon it while supporting the blank.

The blanks may be presented to the machine in any suitable way, but for convenience I have shown a hopper 73 in which a large number may be stored the same being preferably formed in the shape of the letter Y in cross section with a discharge neck 74 through which the blanks are adapted to pass one at a time. A swinging transfer arm 75 pivoted below the hopper at 76 has a recess 77 in its face for the reception of one of these blanks, the balance 78 of the outer portion of its face is adapted to close the opening when the transferrer is moved forward to position a blank in the path of the mandrel. This transferrer is provided with a laterally extending finger 79 which rests upon a cam bar 80 under tension of the spring 81. When the arm 34 is swung rearwardly the roller 82 mounted thereon engages the outer upturned end 83 of this cam bar 80 and brings the cut away portion 84 beneath the finger 79 thereby permitting the transferrer to swing forward and move a blank from the hopper into position to be engaged by the mandrel and when the lever 34 swings forward this roll 82 engages the edge 85 on this cam bar and moves the same forward into position illustrated in Fig. 1, which causes the finger 79 to ride upon the inclined portion and return the transferrer to the hopper to receive another blank.

The operation of the invention may be more fully described as follows: The blanks handled by the feeder which in the present instance are short tubes are deposited in the hopper and fed automatically down through the neck to be engaged one by one and transferred into position to be engaged by the longitudinally movable mandrel 27,. the pointed end of which enters the tube and passes through the same. It is found 111 practice necessary to provide means for holding the tube from advancing during the tlme the mandrel is being passed thereinto. In order to accomplish this I have provided a fixed plate 86 with an elongated aperture therethrough, the lower portion 87 being of a size to permit the mandrel but not the tube to pass therethrough while the upper portion 88 is large enough for the passage of both. Now as the mandrel is brought forward by the swinging of the arm 34 and when it has entered the tube a. sufficient distance the pin 93 on the arm 34 rides up on the incline 89 of the cam 90, see Figs. 1 and 6, causing the mandrel to swing upward on the rock shaft 24 through its connections 28 and 29 thereto and so raise the blank through the movements of the mandrel into position to pass'through the portion 88 of the hole in the plate, whence it is carried by a further forward movement of this mandrel into position between the blocks 16 and 17 of the swager to be operated upon.

As it is found in practice that the hammering action of the 'swaging blocks upon the tapered end of the mandrel through its action on the blank has a tendency to force the mandrel outward, and to support the mandrel against this action, I have provided a locking plate 44, which moves back of the button 43 fixed to the mandrel and soeifectually prevents the outward motion of the mandrel during the swaging operation.

I have also found it absolutely necessary to slide the tube slowly along the mandrel after the roughing operation upon it, until its end brings up against the solid abutment 94 in the swaging machine, which is to positively control the extent of the swaging action of the tube. To accomplish this I have provided an auxiliary mechanism in the form of levers 50 and 54, which move the collar 52 forward through the action of the cam 55 into engagement with the end of the tube to force it into finishing'position. As these tubes come irregular in length, it is found of utmost importance to form some sort'of flexible or yieldable mechanism to compensate for this length variation and which is nicely taken care of in the present case by providing a flexible member 56 on which the end of the cam bar rests but any other suitable means may be employed foras the mandrel is withdrawn through the collar 52 which has a hole through it only large enough to receive the mandrel, the finished blank is held while the mandrel is withdrawn therefrom thus permitting the blank to drop upon the chute 89 to be deposited into a suitable receptacle below.

IV hen the mandrel is moved to its extreme outward position the collar 52 is supported on the shelf 95 and the cam bar 80 is moved outward permitting the transferrer under action of the spring 81 to move a fresh blank from the hopper over into the path of the mandrel and these operations are successively and automatically repeated at each stroke of the mandrel.

The driving mechanism is operated through the pulley 91 on the main shaft 33.

I have shown and described one form of mechanism for engaging blanks and passing them successively into the swaging machine to be operated upon, but any means for accomplishing thispurpose will fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim 1. An improved feeding mechanism for swaging machines comprising a feeding mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel to engage and move a blank into position to be operated upon, and means movable independent of the movement of said mandrel for advancing the work into position to be finished.

2. din improved feeding mechanism for swaglng machines comprising a feeding mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel to engage and move a blank into position to be operated upon, means movable independent of the movement of said mandrel for advancing the work into position to be finished. and yieldable means in said independently movable means arranged to compensate for the varying lengths of the different blanks.

3. An improved feeding mechanism for swaging machines comprising a feeding mandrel, means for positioning a tubular blank in the path of said mandrel, means for causing said mandrel to advance a predetermined distance into the blank, means for preventing an advance of the blank while the said mandrel is entering thereinto and means for releasing the blank to permit it to be carried to operative position.

4:. In a feeding mechanism, a container for tubular blanks, a feeding mandrel, means for transferring a blank from said container into the'path of said mandrel, means for advancing the mandrel into the tubular blank and carrying the blank forward to be operated upon and means for limiting the outward movement of the blank to permit the mandrel to be withdrawn therefrom after being operated upon.

5. An improved feeding mechanism for swaging machines comprising a feeding mandrel, means for feeding tubular blanks .into the path of movement of said mandrel,

means for causing said mandrel to enter the tube and advance the same to operating position, means for swaging a portion of the tube in a tapering form onto the mandrel,

.and means for locking the mandrel against a backward movement while the tube is being operated upon.

6. An improved feeding mechanism for swaging machines comprisinga mandrel, means for imparting a rectilinear movement to said mandrel, a container for the blanks, means for transferring-the blanks from the container to a position to be engaged by said mandrel, means for preventing movement of the blank while being engaged by the mandrel, and means for subsequently effecting a relative movement of said mandrel and movement preventing means to permit the blank to be advanced into position to be finished.

7. In a feeding mechanism, a mandrel for engaging a blank to be fed, means for advancing said mandrel and blank to operative position, a member slidably mounted on said mandrel, and means for moving said member on said mandrel to advance this blank to a position to be finished.

8. In a feeding mechanism forswaging machines, a container for the blanks, a reciprocating mandrel, means for transferring ablank from said container into the path ofsaid mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel into engagement with the blank, means for locking said mandrel while said blank is being swaged, a member slidably mounted upon said mandrel, and means for moving said member into engagement with said blank to advance the same into position to befinished, and means for holdin said member against movement during the nishing swaging operation.

.9. In a feeding mechanism for swaging machines, a container for the blanks, a reciprocating mandrel, means for transferring a blank from said container into the path of movement of said mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel into engagement with the blank, means for locking said mandrel while said blank is being swaged, a member slidably mounted upon said mandrel, and means for moving said member into engagement with said blank to advance the same into position to be swaged, means for holding said member against movement during the swaging operation, said means for holding said member being yieldable to compensate for diiferentlengths of blanks.

10. In a feeding mechanism for swaging machines, a container for the blanks to be fed, a reciprocating mandrel, a swinging member to transfer a blank to position in front of said mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel into engagement with said blank, means for locking said mandrel against movement to hold said blank in position while being'swaged, a member slidably mounted upon said mandrel, means for moving said member in engagement with said blank to advance the same lnto position to be further swaged, and means to hold said member against said blank while the same is bein so swaged.

11. In a eedin mechanism, a mandrel for engaging the bIanks to be fed, means for advancing said mandrel and blank to operative position, a member slidably mounted on said mandrel, means for moving said member on said mandrel to advance the blank to a position to be finished, and means for re moving said blank from said mandrel.

12. In a feeding machine, a container for tubular blanks, a' reciprocating mandrel, means for transferring a blank from said container into the path of said mandrel, means for inserting the mandrel into said blank, means for advancing said mandrel and blank into position to be operated upon, and means for locking said mandrel against movement to hold said bank while being operated upon.

13. In a feeding machine, a container for tubular blanks, a reciprocating mandrel, means for transferring a blank from said container into the path of said mandrel, means for inserting the mandrel into said blank, means for advancing said mandrel and blank into position to be operated upon, and means for removing the blank from said mandrel.

14. In a feeding machine, a container for tubular blanks, a reciprocating mandrel, a swinging member for removing a blank from said container and holding it in the path ofsaid mandrel, means for moving said mandrel for inserting the end thereof within said blank, means for advancing said mandrel and blank into position to be operated upon, and means for locking said mandrel against movement to hold said blank while being operated upon, a member slidably mounted on said mandrel for engaging and advancing said blank into finishing position, and means for retaining said member 1 lid . fifl tilt tilt:

in engagement With the end of said blank during the finishing operation.

15. In a feeding machine, a container for tubular blanks, a reciprocating mandrel, a swinging member for removing a blank from said container and holding it in the path of said mandrel, means for moving said mandrel for inserting the end thereof within said blank, means for advancing said mandrel and blank into position to be operated upon, means for locking said mandrel against movement to hold said blank while being operated upon, a member slidably mounted on said mandrel for engaging and advancing said blank into finishing position, and yieldable means for engaging said member to retain the same against the end of said blank to hold the same during the finishing operation.

16. In a feeding machine, a container for tubular blanks, a reciprocating mandrel, a swinging member for moving a blank from said container and holding it in the path of said mandrel, means for moving said mandrel for inserting the end thereof within said blank, means for advancing said man drel and blank into position to be operated upon, means for locking said mandrel against movement to hold said blank while being operated upon, a member slidably mounted on said mandrel for engaging and advancing said blank into finishing position,

-movable means for engaging the end of said members to hold the same during the finishing operation, and means for blank from said mandrel.

17. In a feeding mechanism, a container for blanks, a feeding mandrel, means for holding a blank in the path of said-mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel into engagement with said blank, and means for re leasing said blank from said holding means to permit the same to be advanced by said mandrel into position to be operated upon.

18. In a feeding mechanism, a container for blanks, a feeding mandrel, means for holding a blank in the path of said mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel. into engagement with said blank, means for releasing said blank from said holding means to permit the same to be advanced by said mandrel into position to be operated upon and means operated independent of the move ment of said mandrel for advancing said blank into position to be finished.

19. In a feeding mechanism, a container for blanks, a feeding mandrel, means for holding a blank in the path of said mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel into engagement with said blank, means for releasing said blank from said holding means to permit the same to be advanced by said mandrel into position to be operatedupon, means operated independent of the movement of said mandrel for advancing said removing the blank into position to be finished, and means for holding said blank advancing means against the end of said blank while the latter is being finished.

20. In a feeding mechanism, a container for blanks, a feeding mandrel, means for holding a blank in the path of said mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel into engagement with said blank, and means for re leasing said blank from said holding means to permit the same to be advanced by said mandrel into position to be operated upon.

21. In a feeding mechanismfa container for blanks, a feeding mandrel, means for holding a blank in the path of said mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel into en gagement with said blank, means for re leasing said blank from said holding means to permit the same to be advanced by said mandrel into position to be operated upon, means for locking said mandrel in its advanced position to hold said blank while the same is being operated upon, a slidable mem ber mounted upon said mandrel, means for sliding said member upon said mandrel into engagement with the end of a blank to move the latter into position to be finished, and means for holding said member against said blank while the latter is being finished.

22. In a feeding mechanism, a container 'for blanks, a feeding mandrel, means for holding a blank in the path of said mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel into engagement with said blank, means for releasing said blank from said holding means to permit the same to be advanced by said mandrel into position to be operated upon, means for locking said mandrel in its advanced position to hold, said blank while the same is being operated upon, a slidablemember mounted upon said. mandrel, means for sliding said member upon said mandrel into engagement with the end of a blank to move the latter into position to be finished, means for. holding said member against said blank while the latter is being finished, and means for removing said blank from said mandrel after the finishing operation.

In a feeding mechanism, a container for blanks, a feeding mandrel, means for holding a blank in the path of said mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel into engagement with said blank, means for releasing said blank from said holding means to permit the same to be advanced by said mandrel into position to be oper ated upon, means for locking said mandrel in its advanced position to hold said blank while the same is being operated upon, a slidable member mounted upon said mandrel, means for sliding said member upon said mandrel into engagement with the end of a blank to move the latter into position to be finished, means for holding said member against said blank while the latter is being finished, said slidable member acting as a stripper to remove the blank from said mandrel while said mandrel is being returned to normal position.

24. In a feeding mechanism, a container for blanks, a feeding mandrel, a swinging member to remove a blank from the container and position it in front of said mandrel, a stop for holding .said blank in front of said mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel into engagement with said blank, means for elevating said mandrel and blank above said stop to permit said mandrel to advance the blank into positionto be operated upon, and means for'holdingsa'id mandrel against movement to retain said blank in position to be operated upon.

25. In a feedin mechanism, a container for blanks, a feefing mandrel, a swinging member to remove av blankfrom the container and position it in front of said mandrel, a stop for holding said blank in front of said mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel into engagement with said blank, means for elevating said mandrel and blank above said stop to permit said mandrel to advance the blank into position to be operated upon, a stop mounted upon said mandrel, a holding member adapted to engage said stop, and means for raising said member into engagement with said stop when said mandrel is advanced, whereby said mandrel is held against movement to retain said blank in position to be operated upon.

26. In a feeding mechanism, a container for blanks, a feeding mandrel, a swinging member to remove a blank from the container and position it in front of said mandrel, a stop for holding said blank in front of said mandrel, means for advancin said mandrel into engagement with said blank,

means for elevating said mandrel and blank above said stop to permit said mandrel to advance the blank into position to be operated upon, a stop mounted upon said mandrel, a holding member adapted to engage said stop, means for raising said member into engagement with said stop when said mandrel is advanced, whereby said mandrel is held against movement to retain said blank in position to be operated upon, and means for releasing said stop when said mandrel is returned to normal position.

27. In a feedingmechanism, a feedin mandrel, means for moving said mandrel to engage and position a blank to be operated upon, meansfor locking said mandrel .against movement to hold said blank in position while being operated upon, actuated means for moving the blank into position to be finished, and a cam to hold said member against the end of said blank during the finishing operation.

28. In a feeding mechanism, a feeding mandrel, means for moving said mandrel to engage and position a blank to be operated upon, means for locking said mandrel against movement to hold said blank in position while being operated upon, cam actuated means for moving the blank into position to be finished, a cam to hold said member against the end of said blank during the finishing operation, said latter cam being yieldable to accommodate blanks of different lengths.

EPHRIAM J. SCOTT.

Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BARLow, A. F. MACREADY. 

